In Edmonton, there was still a bit of clean ice on the sheet when Paul Stastny scored 4:06 into extra time in Game 2. That goal gave the Winnipeg Jets a a 1-0 win and 2-0 series lead over the Oilers.
“The play started in the D-zone and the puck was in the corner,” Stastny said. “And [Tucker Poolman] chipped it past their guy and so then I just started picking up speed knowing we’d have a 2-on-2 or 3-on-3. Once [Copp] middle-lane drove and kicked it out to me, at first I was going to kind of look for him, but once he slashed across, I figure I would try to use the [defenseman] as a screen and just try to put the puck on net.
“I feel like in overtime, whether you’re trying to score or you’re trying to generate offense, sometimes that’s the easiest way to do it, and the puck had eyes and fortunately it went it.”
Game 3 is Sunday in Winnipeg.
“It’s fun to be a part of a game like that, that’s what you want, obviously a tight-checking game, 0-0,” the Oilers’ Connor McDavid said. “I thought we had some good chances. We have to find a way to bear down and get one.”
Connor Hellebuyck made 38 saves in the win.
“There is a cost to it, we’re not generating a tremendous amount of offense in the game,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said. “That’s the price that has to be paid to be on the right side [defensively] for the most part, and if you’re not, to make sure the puck stays on the outside. We’ve had to give a little up to give ourselves a chance — those guys are so dangerous and so elite — and when we haven’t, then Connor Hellebuyck has been.”
Winnipeg had never been in a scoreless tie heading to overtime as a franchise.
“I think it’s been a group effort [defensively], we have to play as a group of five and our defensemen are doing a really good job,” the Jets’ Blake Wheeler said. “We’re trying to come back and give them help and let our goalie see the puck. It’s a good job by everyone back there and [Hellebuyck] made some good saves tonight.”
Mike Smith made 35 saves in the loss.
“Tonight we still had our looks,” the Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. “We have to find a way to break through. I think the confidence in the room is still there to do that.”
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